It is known to provide, in electrical distribution networks, aerial cables or lines which are at a voltage somewhat less than the high tensions transmitted over long distances from generating plants, and taps which feed such aerial cables or draw current therefrom and generally run to other aerial cables or to the ground.
Cable connectors for this purpose may be used, for example, to connect lines running from transformers to the aerial conductors, from the aerial conductors to switches and circuit breakers, from the aerial cable to distribution or other boxes, and from the aerial cable to ground-level distribution systems.
While an obvious method of connection is to splice the tap cable to the aerial cable, the mechanics of such a procedure prevents widespread use since the operation is time-consuming and dangerous because the work may have to be done close to or in contact with a "live" wire.
Other techniques have, of course, been employed. Such techniques may use so-called cable connectors which are tightened by nuts or other clamping devices and which are attached to one of the cables and adapted to receive the other or which can be placed over and can clamp together the two cables.
Such devices generally consist of a simple bolt-tightened clamp.
In other techniques, sleeves can be fitted over one or the other cable and clinched therearound by special tools, the other cable then being inserted into the sleeve and likewise clinched in place.
The systems can be used in the region of an electrical insulator by which the aerial cable is mounted upon a support or at locations between such insulators or supports.
In most instances these devices cannot be used except with a significant possibility of danger to the lineman because the aerial cable generally must be connected to the tap while "hot", i.e. without turning off the voltage.
There have been proposals for cable connectors which can be manipulated from some distance away from the connecting point, e.g. using an electrically insulated pole. In these arrangements, however, the previously described types of cable connectors were employed with, for example, the hexagonal head of a bolt, simply replaced by an eye in which the hook of the pole could engage. Conventional systems of this type, however, were lacking in the desired degree of versatility as to the positioning of the tap vis-a-vis the aerial cable, did not have the desired degree of maneuverability so as to permit the connector to be emplaced or removed with facility; and frequently were less than completely reliable with respect to the mechanical and electrical connection made.
For example, the configurations of the conventional connectors limited access of the pole hook to the eye and occasionally prevented tightening of the connector in a particularly desirable orientation so that each time such a connector was used, the orientation of the connector was frequently a compromise between the optimum position and one which would allow effective tightening.